Vacuum package machine

ABSTRACT

A packaging apparatus for applying and heat sealing a sheet of material to another sheet of material having a plurality of uniformly spaced food receiving recesses therein and thereafter cutting the sealed pockets into individual packages, there being provided a heating platen against which one of the sheets is blown to soften the sheet with a die positioned on the opposite side of the heating platen into which the softened sheet is drawn or forced to form the pocket in the sheet. One of the sheets is fed from a supply roll holder assembly defined by an axially movable slide on a spindle that permits alignment of the supply roll with an adjustable retaining ring on the slide to accommodate for varying width supply rolls. There is further provided a plurality of retaining clips for holding one of the sheets during manipulation, supported on a chain drive with the clips being opened by a plurality of overlapping rollers that converge on actuating elements on each of the clips to open the same.

United States Patent 91 Jezuit [111 3,767,349 [451 Oct. 23, 1973 [73] Assignee: John Morrell 8: C0., Melrose Park,

Ill.

22 Filed: Sept. 24, 1971 211 App]. No.: 183,330

Primary ExaminerRobert L. Spicer, Jr.

AttorneyHofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A packaging apparatus for applying and heat sealing a sheet of material to another sheet of material having a plurality of uniformly spaced food receiving recesses therein and thereafter cutting the sealed pockets into individual packages, there being provided a heating platen against which one of the sheets is blown to soften the sheet with a die positioned on the opposite side of the heating platen into which the softened sheet is drawn or forced to form the pocket in the sheet. One of the sheets is fed from a supply roll holder assembly defined by an axially movable slide on a spindle that permits alignment of the supply roll with an adjustable retaining ring on the slide to accommodate for varying width supply rolls. There is further provided a plurality of retaining clips for holding one of the sheets during manipulation, supported on a chain drive with the clips being opened by a plurality of overlapping rollers that converge on actuating elements on each of the clips to open the same.

18 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures VACUUM PACKAGE MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus and more particularly one of the type where one web of material, for example plastic, is fed into engagement with another web of material having a plurality of pockets formed therein and filled with material such as luncheon meat. The first web is heat sealed to the second web and thereafter the pockets are served forming a plurality of individual packages of luncheon meat.

In the past, the web with the pockets had been either preformed or formed with a vacuum molding process. Such a process involves softening the plastic web and drawing it down into die cavities positioned adjacent the web. To soften the material the dies themselves have been heated but it has been found difficult to control the extent of softening using this technique. It is also known to preheat the web prior to vacum forming by passing it through an oven, but this results in an expensive apparatus, complicated and also one which requires a significant axial space along the length of the web.

The webs are fed from supply rolls and various devices have been provided in the past for accommodating varying supply roll widths. In providing for varying width supply rolls, accommodations must also be made to maintain the center line of the width in registry with the center of the feeding apparatus for the web. Thus in effect two adjustments are required, one for accommodating varying width supply rolls and the other for aligning the center line of the roll with the center of the web feeding apparatus. In the past this has been accomplished through the provision of a complicated apparatus requiring a plurality of adjustable elements which have not been accessible from one side of the machine therefore lacking convenience in interchanging the supply rolls.

In order to guide the web and support it during the various manipulations thereof in the packaging apparatus there have been provided various clips which engage the edges of the web throughout the manipulative operations thereon. For proper operation these clips have been opened and closed by various devices, primarily stationary cam surfaces. The primary disadvantage in the use of stationary cam surfaces in a high production packaging machine is that the cam surfaces tend to wear the actuating surfaces of the retaining clips. As the cams wear the clips they will open at a later point in their path of travel thereby releasing the web at progressively different points. This of course is an obvious disadvantage since it would require continuous adjustments in other portions of the apparatus.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to overcome these prior art problems described above.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a packaging apparatus is provided in which a first web is formed with a plurality of pockets at a pressure forming station, with the web being indexed through a loading station where material such as luncheon meat is inserted into the formed pockets and thereafter a second web is applied to the first web closing the pockets with the sec- Ond web being heat sealed to the first web and the combined webs being thereafter cut into a plurality of individual packages.

At the pocket forming station one of the webs is passed closely beneath a heating platen for the purpose of softening the web material. The heating platen is stationary eliminating any requirement for moving the heating platen. To provide an oven-type heater for the web, the forming die, positioned below the web in line with the heating platen, is reiprocated up into engagement with the web forcing the web into engagement with the heating platen. A solenoid operated air valve directs a blast of air through the forming die and against the lower surface of the web forcing the web upwardly a short distance into engagement with a perforated heating plate within the heating platen. This blast of air is held momentarily for a time sufficient to soften the web properly.

Thereafter a solenoid operated air valve directs a blast of air through passages in the heating platen and through the apertures in the heating platen against the upper surface of the softened plastic between the heating platen and the die, forcing the web downwardly into cavities within the die for the purpose of forming the pockets in the web. The die is then reciprocated downwardly freeing the pockets and permitting the subsequent indexing of the web to the next pocket forming location.

A supply roll assembly is provided that accommodates varying width supply rolls and permits the simple replacement thereof. Toward this end a supply roll spindle is provided that has a tubular slide therein axially adjustable from one side of the apparatus by a suitable adjusting knob. The slide has retaining rings fixed thereto and extending around the spindle which support the supply roll. By adjusting the knob the center line of the supply roll may be aligned with the center line of the feeding mechanism of the packaging apparatus. To change supply rolls the retaining ring adjacent the slide adjusting knob is removably fixed to the slide and may be withdrawn to change rolls. This ring may be fixed in a plurality of positions to accommodate for varying width supply rolls, and if a different width roll is inserted into'the apparatus, the slide adjusting knob is manipulated to realign the center line of the wider or narrower supply roll with the center line of the feeding apparatus of the machine.

To support and guide the pocketed web during its traversal through the packaging apparatus, a chain and sprocket drive is provided that has a plurality of retaining clips that grasp and hold the side edges of the web. These clips are spring-biased to a closed position and are opened and closed to grasp the web as it leaves the supply roll and also are opened as the packages and waste stripping leave the discharge end of the apparatus. To open the normally spring-biased closed clips, a pair of actuating arms extend from the clips with the upper arm being engaged by rollers disposed on a path converging with the path of the clips. The rollers provide rolling engagement with the clip actuating arms reducing friction therebetween and eliminating the problem of clip wear in prior art devices. The rollers are provided in two sets in adjacent planes so that the rollers may overlap, providing a substantially continu-' BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present packaging apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the webs and the various stations in the packaging apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the packaging apparatus of FIG. 1 with certain covering parts removed for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 illustrating the pocket forming station;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken generally along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 illustrating the operating mechanism for the forming die;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 illustrating the heating platen and forming die in their closed position;

FIG. 7 is a subassembly view, partly in section, illustrating the feed roll assembly for one of the webs;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the discharge end web driving chain and sprocket assembly with the retaining clip rollers illustrated;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section showing the clips entering the rollers;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section taken generally along line 10l0 of FIG. 8 illustrating one of the clips as it exits the rollers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT REferring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, a packaging apparatus is shown and is designed to package food products or other commodities in packages formed from flexible plastic sheet material or film which is capable of being heat sealed about the product. REferring to FIG. 2, one continuous film or web F is fed from a lower supply roll 16 of heatsealable flexible material and is carried successively to a forming station 18 where individual pockets P or multiple thereof are formed in the film for receiving a product to be packaged, then to a loading station 20 where the product is loaded or positioned in the pockets P, normally by hand, then to a sealing and evacuation station 22. The details of the sealing and evacuation station 22 are shown and described in more detail in the copending application of William E. Young and Arthur D. .Iezuit, Ser. No. 120,512, filed Mar. 3, 1971 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Reference should be made thereto for a more complete description of this portion of the packaging apparatus.

A second continuous sheet or layer of film F" is carried from an upper film supply roll 24 of heat-scalable flexible material to a point between the loading station and the sealing and evacuating station 22, to overlie the lower film sheet F and the pockets P formed therein with the product loaded in the pockets. The juxtaposed lengths of film are then carried to the sealing and evacuating station 22 where the sheets are heat sealed together about the periphery of the pockets P and air is evacuated from within the pockets to provide moisture and air-impervious packages. The sealed pockets are then carried to a cutter 26 where the webs of film between the individual pockets are cut. The waste film is then carried from the cutting station by vacuum nozzle 28, and the served film packages are carried therefrom by a conveyer 30.

Should either the upper or lower sheets of film F and F'respectively, be printed along the length thereof for each package, film registration means or stations 33 for the upper sheet of film F and 33 for the lower sheet of film F may be provided to index the film so that the printing thereof is properly aligned for each ultimately sealed and loaded package. Reference should be made to the copending application of William F. Prena entitled Film Registration Apparatus and Method, Ser. No. 125,135, filed Mar. 17, 1971, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, for a more complete description of the registration means 33 and 33.

A control box, generally designated 34 (FIG. 1 having a front wall 35 is disposed behind the sealing and evacuating station 22 and the upper film registration station 33, and houses control means including appr0- priate mechanical and electrical cams, appropriate conventional solenoid operated air and vacuum valves, appropriate pneumatic and electrical circuitry to control the timing and operation of the various stations, and the structural elements described above and hereinafter.

The receiving elements, or pockets in web F are arranged serially and mounted for simultaneous movement in a given path from the loading station 20 to the sealing and evacuating station 22. The drive means for the apparatus moves the receiving elements in a cyclical, intermittent indexing motion, with the elements remaining stationary in a rest period between indexing movements while other operations are performed, such as sealing and evacuating the packages. The film registration apparatus of the present invention includes means in the form ofa set of power operated draw rollers 36 which constantly grip the film of the packaging material F and feed the film to the pockets at a constant rate while the pockets are being index from the loading station 20 to the sealing and evacuating station 22. The draw rollers 36 are sequentially operatively associated with the drive means for the packaging machine so that as the pockets P are indexed past the draw rollers 36, the draw rollers are rotated to feed the film F in juxtaposition over the pockets P for movement to the sealing and evacuating station 22. When the indexing motion is stopped, and the pockets are in the stationary at rest period, the draw rollers remain nonrotatably idle while still gripping the film F which is threaded therebetween. Disposed about the set of draw rollers is a set of stretch rollers 38 through which the film F is threaded. It should be understood that the rollers 36 and 38 are multiple rollers and illustrated only as single rollers in FIG. 2 for simplicity. Two of the stretch rollers 38 are clutch driven and are activated and deactivated by a control means during the indexing cycle of the packaging means so that they free wheel selectively. During a portion of the rest period for the receiving elements or pockets P and the idle period for the draw rollers 36, the clutch rollers 38 of the stretch rollers will be activated so that they rotate in a direction opposite that of arrow B to stretch the film upwardly in the opposite direction while the film remains gripped by the draw rollers 36. This provided the proper registration between the film F and the film F.

As shown-in FIG. 3, the packaging apparatus 15 consists of a generally rectangular frame including frame members 40 and 41 connected by end frame member 42. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, the lower supply roll 16 is rotatably supported on a supply roll assembly 45 fixed to frame member 41 so that it is accessible from the-forward side of the apparatus as seen in FIG. 1. More particularly, the supply roll assembly includes a cylindrical spindle 47 fixed to frame member 41 by suitable fasteners. Slidably mounted within the spindle 47 which is sleeve-like in configuration, is a tubular slide element 50 having end caps 51 and 52 fixed therein. The slide including tubular member 50 is axially adjustable within the spindle 47 by a rod 55 threadedly engaging end cap 51 and journalled in end cap 52. The rod 55 is journalled in spindle cap 57 and has a hand wheel 58 projecting therefrom for the purpose of rotating the knob from the front of the packaging apparatus.

Fixed to the end cap 51 by threaded fasteners 61 extending through slot 62 in spindle 47 is a retaining ring 64. The retaining ring 64 receives a bearing 65 supporting a holder 67 engaging the left end of core 69. This supports the left end of the roll as viewed in FIG. 7. For the purpose of supporting the right end of the roll a second retaining ring 70 is provided that carries a bearing 71 rotatably supporting a roll holder 73 that engages the right end of the roll and rotatably supports the same on the ring 70.

The right ring 70 as viewed in FIG. 7 is axially adjustable on the slide 50 for the purpose of accommodating different width supply rolls l6. Toward this end a crank operated threaded member 75 is threaded in the ring 70 and selectively engages the exterior tubular member 50 to fix the ring 70 in any desired position.

To change roll 16 the threaded member 75 is loosened and removed permitting the removal of the supply roll core 69. A new roll is then inserted over left ring member 67 and the right retaining ring 70 is reinserted and the threaded member clamped in a new position on the tubular member 50. If a larger or smaller roll is inserted the center line of the roll will not be aligned with the center of the frame and the feeding apparatus so that the hand wheel 58 is rotated shifting slide 50 to he 'right or the left as viewed in FIG. 7 until the proper alignment is achieved.

Viewing FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, where the'pocket forming station is shown in more detail, generally horizontal frame member is provided supported on ways 82 and 83 on frame members 41 and 40, respectively, for horizontal movement. The frame member 80 along with the entire forming station 18 is shiftable axially along the frame members to accommodate different sized dies in order to properly synchronize the location of pockets P with the other stations in the packaging apparatus. Toward this end the frame member has a boss 85 shown in FIG. 5 projecting upwardly therefrom that receives a threaded member 87 supported on a frame member 88 in turn fixed to a cross frame member 89 fixed to the frame members 40 and 41. The distal end of the threaded member 87 has a hand wheel 91 for manual operation.

As seen more clearly in FIG. 4, a pair of posts 96 and 97 project upwardly from frame member 80 and have fixed thereto a heating platen 100. Limited vertical adjustments of the heating platen 100 may be made by fasteners 101 and 102 threadedly received on the posts 96 and 97. Heating platen 100 consists of an upper member 105 (see also FIG. 6) and a lower member 107 having recesses 109 defined by partition 110, which recesses 109 correspond in number with the number of cavities in die forming member 112. The heating platen members 105 and 107 have a plurality of passages 115,

- from bottom edge 121 of the heating platen member 107 as viewed in FIG. 6. This permits a selective engagement of the film F with the heating plate 117.

As seen in FIG. 4 the passage is connected through suitable tubing 123 to a source 125 of air under pressure.

Suitable means, such as electric resistance heating elements are provided for heating of the plate 117.

The die member 112 is supported on a cross piece 126 slidably received on posts 96 and 97 by suitable bosses 128.

For the purpose of reciprocating the die member 112 into engagement with the film F and squeezing the same between the die 112 and the heating platen member 107, an actuating mechanism 130 is provided shown in FIG. 5. This mechanism consists of a plate 131 projecting centrally from the station frame 80 and carries a reciprocating piston actuator 132 connected to drive interconnected linkage element 134 pivoted on plate 131 at 137 and linkage element 139 pivoted at 140 to frame member 126. Suitable control valves are provided for porting fluid to either side of the actuator 132 to cyclically raise and lower the die member 112 in proper sequence with indexing of the web F.

As seen more clearly in FIG. 6, the die member 112 has tapered recesses or cavities 143 provided therein which receive hollow bottom plates 145 that determined the depth of the pockets in the web F. The bottom plates 145 are interchangeable by set screws 147 to effect different depth pockets as desired for the particular packaging application.

For the purpose of forcing or blasting the film F into engagement with the heating plate 117 to soften the film preparatory to forming, a plurality of air passages 150, 151 and 152 are provided. As seen in FIG. 3 suitable conduits 155 are connected to passage for supplying air from a source 157. to the passages for the purpose of pressurizing cavities 156 and 157 to force or blast the film F up into engagement with the heating element 117. Suitable controls are provided for pressurizing passages 150, 151 and 152 at the proper time during the pocket forming operation. If desired,suitable provision may be made for applying a vacuum to passages 150, 151 and 152 for the purpose of drawing the film F" into the cavities 156 and 157 either in addition to or as an alternative to pressurizing the passages 115, 116, and 117 in the heating p'laten members 105 and 107 shown in FIG. 6. Suitable controls and solenoid operated air valves are provided for this purpose.

The die 112 is water cooled as shown in FIG. 3 by pipes 165, 166 and 167 to prevent overheating thereof.

As shown best in FIGS. 5, 8, 9 and 10, a chain and sprocket feeding assembly is provided for the lower web F. As seen in FIG. 5, spaced take-off sprockets 167 are upported on a shaft 168 journalled in the frame members 40 and 41. The sprockets 167 are spaced further apart than the width of the web F as shown in FIG. 3. Return sprockets 169 (only one shown) are illustrated in FIG. 8 journalled on shaft 170. The sprockets 167 and 169 have a pair of chains 172 and 173 (FIG.

3) interconnected in driving relation therewith. Each of the chains has clip retainers 175 fixed thereto for the purpose of holding the edges of the web F and guiding and supporting the same through the packaging apparatus 15.

As seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, each of the clips 175 includes a lower member 176 having an arm 177 fixed to a chain supported projection 178, a U-shaped portion 180 and a finger portion 181. Pivoted on the U-shaped portion 180 is an upper member 183 including an actuating arm 184, a U-shaped portion 185 and a finger portion 187. A coil spring 190 biases both of the fingers 181 and 187 to the closed position shown in FIG. 9 and also serves to hold the members 176 and 183 together as a unit. For the purpose of opening the retaining clips 175 to initially grasp the edges of the web F, rollers 192 are rotatably carried by frame members 40 and 41 and are positioned to engage the actuating arms 184 as the clips advance in the direction of arrow 193 as shown in FIG. 5. Rollers 192 simply momentarily open the clips until the web passes therebetween and then release the actuating arms 184 so that the clips grasp the web F.

To release the web after the packages are formed at the discharge end of the machine, a clip opening assembly 195 is provided as shown in FIG. 8. Opening aseembly 195 is seen to consist of a frame member 196 fixed to the main machine frame and having an annular member 198 fixedly carried thereby and defining a recess 200 for receiving rollers 202. The rollers 202 are rotatably mounted on shafts 203 spaces so that the rollers 202 overlap each other. It should be understood that alternate rollers 202a, 202b, 2020 and 202d lie in one plane while rollers 202e, 202f and 202g lie in an adjacent but spaced plane to permit the rollers to overlap a significant amount. The purpose for this overlap is to provide a substantially continuous engaging surface between the bottoms of the rollers and the actuating arms 184.

The axes of the rollers 184 lie on a line which converges with respect to the path of movement of the clips 175 from right to left as shown in FIG. 8 so that the rollers gradually open the clips and release the web previously held thereby. It should be understood that the rollers 202 are in rolling contact with the actuating arms 184 to minimize friction and wear therebetween.

The axes of the rollers 202 are spaces such that the actuating arm of the arms of the retaining clips are progressively depressed from roller 202d to roller 202a.

For the purpose of adjusting the release plate 195 relative to package depth, an adjustable frame mechanism 206 is provided that permits the adjustable pivoting movement of the assembly 195' about the axis of shaft 170.

I claim:

1. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a first sheet of material, means for feeding a second sheet of material, platen means positioned on one side of the first sheet of material, said platen having an outer peripheral surface, a heating plate in said platen spaced above said peripheral surface, means for heating said platen means, means directing air against said first sheet for shifting the first sheet into contact with said platen to soften the first sheet, die means positioned on the opposite side of said first sheet means, means for forcing the softened material of the first sheet into said die means and means for relatively moving the die means and the platen toward each other to hold the said first sheet means therebetween, said means for forcing said first sheet means into said die means including passage means in said platen means.

2. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platen and said die means are generally aligned.

3. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said platen is stationary with respect to the first sheet means.

4. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platen means and said die means are relatively movable to a position squeezing said first sheet means, said die means and platen means being about the same shape.

5. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means feeding the first sheet including means for feeding the first sheet closely adjacent the outer peripheral surface of said platen, said means for directing the first sheet means against the platen including means for directing the first sheet means against the heating plate.

6. The packaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein said heating surface has a plurality of apertures therein.

7. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, including means for cooling the die means.

8. A packaging apparatus, comprising; a supply roll holder assembly for a first sheet of material, means for feeding said first sheet of material from the supply roll, means for feeding a second sheet of material into engagement with said first sheet of material, said supply roll holder assembly including a spindle, a roll holder slidably mounted on said spindle to vary the alignment between the roll holder and the spindle, means to accommodate varying width rolls including means on the roll holder engageable with one end of the roll and adjustably mounted, and means for forming said sheet of material, wherein said roll holder includes support means, a first retaining ring on said support engageable with one end of the roll, a second retaining ring on said support engageable with the other end of the roll, and means for adjusting the axial position of the second retaining ring to accommodate varying width rolls.

9. The packaging apparatus of claim 8, including means for axially mounting the support on the spindle to align the roll on the spindle.

10. The packaging apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second retaining ring is adjustably mounted on said support.

11. A packaging apparatus, comprising; a supply roll assembly, means for feeding a first sheet of material from said supply roll holder, means for supplying a second sheet of material, said supply roll holder assembly including a spindle, a holder slide in said spindle including a tubular sleeve slidably mounted on said spindle, end members on said tubular sleeve, means threadedly engaging said end members for axial adjustment of the roll holder with respect to the spindle, two spaced retaining rings supported on said tubular sleeve for rotatably engaging the slides of the roll, one of said rings being slidable on said spindle accommodating rolls of varying width, a threaded member extending through said movable ring and engaging said tubular member to relatively lock said ring to said tubular member, and means for forming said first sheet of material.

12. The packaging apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for forming said first sheet includes die means, and means for forcing said first sheet into said die means.

13. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a first sheet of material, means for feeding a second sheet of material into engagement with said first sheet of material, said first sheet feeding means including a plurality of clips for holding the edges of at least said first sheet, means for opening said clips including a plurality of rollers on spaced axes, and means for forming said first sheet of material, wherein said rollers axes are defined on a converging path with said clips so that the clips are gradually opened.

14 The packaging apparatus of claim 13, wherein there are provided two set of rollers, one set of rollers being positioned in a first plane and the other set being positioned in a second plane adjacent and spaced from said first plane.

15. The packaging apparatus of claim 14, wherein said rollers overlap one another.

16. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a first sheet of material, means for feeding a second sheet of material into engagement with the first sheet of material, said means for feeding the first sheet of material including a chain and sprocket device, a plurality of retaining clips carried by the chain for holding the first sheet, said retaining clips being biased to a closed position and having spaced actuating elements, means for squeezing said actuating elements to open said clips and release the first sheet including a plurality of rollers having periphral surfaces that engage said actuating members, said rollers being positioned against said sprocket when the chain curves therearound, said rollers being in overlapping relation with alternate rollers being in the same plane, and means for forming said first sheet of material.

17. The packaging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for forming includes means for forming pockets in said first sheet including die means positioned beneath said first sheet, means for forcing said first sheet in said die means, clip means for holding said first sheet along the edges thereof, means for opening said clip means including a plurality of rollers disposed in overlapping relation.

18. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a web of packaging material, a forming first station for forming the web into the desired shapes, said forming station including a forming member, an actuator for said forming member, linkege means between the actuator and the forming member, a manipulation second station, means for shifting said first station to compensate for size changes in said forming member including means for longitudinally adjusting said forming member, said actuator, and said linkage, wherein said forming station includes a slide, said forming member, actuator and linkage being mounted on said slide, a threaded means engaging said slide for adjusting the position thereof longitudinally. 

1. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a first sheet of material, means for feeding a second sheet of material, platen means positioned on one side of the first sheet of material, said platen having an outer peripheral surface, a heating plate in said platen spaced above said peripheral surface, means for heating said platen means, means directing air against said first sheet for shifting the first sheet into contact with said platen to soften the first sheet, die means positioned on the opposite side of said first sheet means, means for forcing the softened material of the first sheet into said die means and means for relatively moving the die means and the platen toward each other to hold the said first sheet means therebetween, said means for forcing said first sheet means into said die means including passage means in said platen means.
 2. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platen and said die means are generally aligned.
 3. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said platen is stationary with respect to the first sheet means.
 4. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said platen means and said die means are relatively movable to a position squeezing said first sheet means, said die means and platen means being about the same shape.
 5. The packaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means feeding the first sheet including means for feeding the first sheet closely adjacent the outer peripheral surface of said platen, said means for directing the first sheet means against the platen including means for directing the first sheet means against the heating plate.
 6. The packaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein said heating surface has a plurality of apertures therein.
 7. The packaging apparatus of claim 1, including means for cooling the die means.
 8. A packaging apparatus, comprising; a supply roll holder assembly for a first sheet of material, means for feeding said first sheet of material from the supply roll, means for feeding a second sheet of material into engagement with said first sheet of material, said supply roll holder assembly including a spindle, a roll holder slidably mounted on said spindle to vary the alignment between the roll holder and the spindle, means to accommodate varying width rolls including means on the roll holder engageable with one end of the roll and adjustably mounted, and means for forming said sheet of material, wherein said roll holder includes support means, a first retaining ring on said support engageable with one end of the roll, a second retaining ring on said support engageable with the other end of the roll, and means for adjusting the axial position of the second retaining ring to accommodate varying width rolls.
 9. The packaging apparatus of claim 8, including means for axially mounting the support on the spindle to aLign the roll on the spindle.
 10. The packaging apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second retaining ring is adjustably mounted on said support.
 11. A packaging apparatus, comprising; a supply roll assembly, means for feeding a first sheet of material from said supply roll holder, means for supplying a second sheet of material, said supply roll holder assembly including a spindle, a holder slide in said spindle including a tubular sleeve slidably mounted on said spindle, end members on said tubular sleeve, means threadedly engaging said end members for axial adjustment of the roll holder with respect to the spindle, two spaced retaining rings supported on said tubular sleeve for rotatably engaging the slides of the roll, one of said rings being slidable on said spindle accommodating rolls of varying width, a threaded member extending through said movable ring and engaging said tubular member to relatively lock said ring to said tubular member, and means for forming said first sheet of material.
 12. The packaging apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for forming said first sheet includes die means, and means for forcing said first sheet into said die means.
 13. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a first sheet of material, means for feeding a second sheet of material into engagement with said first sheet of material, said first sheet feeding means including a plurality of clips for holding the edges of at least said first sheet, means for opening said clips including a plurality of rollers on spaced axes, and means for forming said first sheet of material, wherein said rollers axes are defined on a converging path with said clips so that the clips are gradually opened.
 14. The packaging apparatus of claim 13, wherein there are provided two set of rollers, one set of rollers being positioned in a first plane and the other set being positioned in a second plane adjacent and spaced from said first plane.
 15. The packaging apparatus of claim 14, wherein said rollers overlap one another.
 16. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a first sheet of material, means for feeding a second sheet of material into engagement with the first sheet of material, said means for feeding the first sheet of material including a chain and sprocket device, a plurality of retaining clips carried by the chain for holding the first sheet, said retaining clips being biased to a closed position and having spaced actuating elements, means for squeezing said actuating elements to open said clips and release the first sheet including a plurality of rollers having peripheral surfaces that engage said actuating members, said rollers being positioned against said sprocket when the chain curves therearound, said rollers being in overlapping relation with alternate rollers being in the same plane, and means for forming said first sheet of material.
 17. The packaging apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for forming includes means for forming pockets in said first sheet including die means positioned beneath said first sheet, means for forcing said first sheet in said die means, clip means for holding said first sheet along the edges thereof, means for opening said clip means including a plurality of rollers disposed in overlapping relation.
 18. A packaging apparatus, comprising; means for feeding a web of packaging material, a forming first station for forming the web into the desired shapes, said forming station including a forming member, an actuator for said forming member, linkage means between the actuator and the forming member, a manipulation second station, means for shifting said first station to compensate for size changes in said forming member including means for longitudinally adjusting said forming member, said actuator, and said linkage, wherein said forming station includes a slide, said forming member, actuator and linkage being mounted on said slide, a threaded means engaging said slide for adjusting the position thereof longitudinaLly. 